Piano teaching apparatus



March 2, 1937. M. v. ROSS PIANO TEACHING APPARATUS Filed March 30, 19362 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Marjorie V/hcefl 2 Ross.

ATT RNEY.

March 2, 1937. v. oss 7 2,072,511

PIANO TEACHING APPARATUS Filed March :50, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gATTBRNEY.

Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for teaching a young child to playthe piano.

The general object of my invention is to provide novel keyboard andcabinet apparatus which may be used in teaching young children to playthe piano,

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an apparatusincluding a novel combined dumb keyboard, staff, letters, notes, and

.10 blocks whereby a young child may learn to play the piano by sense ofsight and touch.

A further object of my invention is to pro-- vide an apparatus includingartificial hands having the fingers numbered to correspond with numberedrings on a childs fingers so that he may learn the proper fingering inlearning to play the piano.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a novel pianoteaching cabinet apparatus which may be collapsed to a compact form inorder that it may be easily transported.

Other objects and the advantages of my invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my piano teaching apparatus inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing theapparatus in folded form;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, central, sectional .view showing the upperportion of the housing;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing theconstruction of a staff;

Fig. 5 is a section through one of the note members;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing the lettermembers and their mount-- ings;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 'I'I of Fig. l

and showing the manner of attaching the hand;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the key ring and finger rings; and

Fig. 9 is a section in detail showing the manner in which the bracketsare supported.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have shown myinvention as embodied in a piano teaching apparatus which is indicatedgenerally at I0 As shown the apparatus includes a housing I I preferablymade of wood and which consists of ends I2, sides I3, a bottom I4,

and a top or lid I5 which is hinged to the bottom I4. The housing ismounted on collapsible supports I6 which are hinged as .at I1 to the I,ends I2. The bottom I4 is spaced from the edges of the" ends I2 andsides I3 so that there is room between the sides and ends to receive thesupports I6 when the latter are collapsed as shown in Fig. 2.

A catch I8 on a transverse member l9 serves to hold the supports inplace (see Fig. 2), when 5 closed and when open they are held bycollapsible braces 20. On the front of the housing I provide a handle 2|by which the apparatus may be carried when in a folded position.

Secured to the housing Ill by means of catches 1o 22 I provide a dumbkeyboard 23, which may be made of wood and is provided with the usualblack and white keys and which may include any desired number ofoctaves. Beneath the keyboard the housing includes a rectangular recess24 which may be divided into compartments by a partition 25 to receivereceptacles 26 which may contain the articles necessary for theoperation of my apparatus, which articles will later be described indetail. 20

When it is desired to operate my device the catch I8 is released and thesupports I6 swung into the position shown in Fig. 1. Latches 21 whichhold the lid closed are then unfastened and the lid is raised. Pivotedbraces 28 serve to hold the lid raised. The keyboard is then lifted andthe various receptacles 26 thereunder may be conveniently placed onbrackets 29 which re movably fit grooves as shown at 30 in Fig. 5 andwhich are preferably disposed in pairs at the ends of the housing, Thebrackets are sufficient- 1y long to receive a key ring 3I which receivesa plurality of rings 32.

The keyboard is then returned to place and a pair of wooden posts 33which are grooved as at 34 are fitted in inclined slots 35 which arearranged in the ends I2 and in blocks 36 secured to the inner face ofthe ends. The lid I5 may include pivoted arms 31 which fit in grooves 38in the posts 33 to prevent the latter from shifting laterally.

Fitted in the grooves 34 I show a metal staff member 39 which comprisesa body having grooves 40 therein in which bars 4| are fitted andpreferably secured. The bars II are en- 5 gaged by a clef 42 which issecured over the bars. The bars 4| provide lines and spaces while ameasure bar 43 is grooved to have engagement With the bars 4|.

When it is desired to merely add a few ad- 5 ditional notes above orbelow the staff I provide a supplementary staff 44 which may be fittedin place by sliding it into the grooved posts as shown in Fig. 1. Thesesupplemental staffs 44 contain horizontal grooves extending across theface 55 thereof which are spaced to correspond to the distance betweenthe lines on the full sized staff and into which grooves I may fit smallrectangular bars 35 which are preferably made of a material which willgive, such as presswood, rubber, etc. so that they will firmly butreleasably engage in the grooves. These bars 45 and also the bars 4|protrude a sufiicient distance to receive grooved note members 46 (seeFig. 5) and correspondingly grooved letter members 4'! and numbermembers 48. The notes 46, letters 41, and numbers 48 engage the bars tohold them in place. The note, letter, and number members are of such awidth that when it is desired to place one of them in a space the lattergrip the edge of the members and serve to hold them in place between thelines.

In conjunction with the notes, letter, and number members which areplaced on the staff I employ lettered blocks 56 which are placed uponthe keyboard keys as will be later described. These blocks 5b areprovided with cylindrical holes 55 which may be fitted on short circularposts 52 mounted on a board 53 to hold the blocks in a secure positionwhen not in use. The inside of the lid may be provided with a music rack54.

Slidably positioned on the top of the staff 39 I show an artificialright hand 55 which includes a wrist portion 56 slotted as at 57 to fiton the upper edge of the staff and having five fingers 58 thereon whichare numbered consecutively from right to left with digits 1 to 5.Although I show only the right hand it will be understood that anotherhand corresponding to a left hand may also be used. The fingers of thisleft hand are also numbered from right to left with digits from 1 to 5.

The rings 32 are numbered from 1 to 5 and in operation the pupil firstplaces the rings 32 on his fingers in an order which corresponds withthat of the numbers on the artificial hands. He then places the numbers48 on the proper lines and spaces on the staff and in this way is ableto observe which finger should be used when playing notes on thecorrespondingly numbered lines and spaces.

After the instructor or pupil has placed the letters 47 on the properlines and spaces the pupil takes a correspondingly lettered block 50 andplaces it on the proper key on the keyboard, or, if desired, theinstructor may first place the blocks on the keyboard and allow thestudent to place the corresponding letters and notes in their properplaces on the staff.

I have shown my notes, etc. placed as for the key of C but other keysmay be indicated by adding sharps and flats to the staff as will bereadily understood.

Although I have described one procedure of using my device it will beunderstood that any method which may appear suitable may be employed andthat changes may be made to suit the requirements in teaching eachindividual pupil.

In the use of my apparatus an appeal is pref erably made to sight andcolor, thus the letter and number blocks are rectangular while the notesare somewhat elliptical. Carrying this idea further I preferably makethe numbers blue for the lines in the treble and bass clefs and make thenumbers red for the spaces in the treble and bass clefs. The letters andnotes are preferably blue for the lines and added lines in the trebleand bass clefs and are red for the spaces in the treble and bass clefs.The bar lines are preferably black.

I have found the foregoing color arrangement most effective but it willbe understood that I do not wish to be limited to any color or anycombination of colors in connection with my apparatus.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provideda novel piano teaching apparatus which is simple in construction andhighly efficient in use.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, means to support said housing, a pairof posts on said housing, said posts having opposed grooves, a staffmember having its ends in said grooves, said staff member including aplurality of protuberant bars and grooved block members fitted on saidbars, said block members being of a Width to fit between said bars.

2. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, means to support said housing, a pairof posts on said housing, said posts having opposed grooves, a staffmember having its ends in said grooves, said staff memberincluding aplurality of protuberant bars, grooved block members fitted on saidbars, said block members being of a width to fit between said bars, aplurality of supplemental staffs secured above said first mentionedstaff, said supplemental staffs being grooved and having protuberantbars in the grooves.

3. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing-,

said housing including ends, sides, a bottom, and

means to support said housing, said ends being slotted, a pair of postsin said slots, said posts, having opposed grooves, a staff memberhaving; its ends in said grooves, said staff member in.- cluding aplurality of protuberant bars, grooved block members fitted on saidbars, said block members being of a width to fit between said bars, aplurality of supplemental staffs secured above said first mentionedstaff, said supplemental staffs being grooved and having; protuberantbars in the grooves.

4. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and

a top, said top being hinged to said bottom,

means to support said housing, said housing having a compartmenttherein, receptacles in said compartment, a plurality of brackets on theends: of said housing, said brackets being adapted to. support one ofsaid receptacles, said ends being slotted, a pair of posts in saidslots, said posts having opposed grooves, a staff member having its endsin said grooves, said staff member including a plurality of protuberantbars, grooved block members fitted on said bars, said block membersbeing of a width to fit between said bars, a plurality of supplementalstaffs secured above said first mentioned staff, said supplementalstaffs being grooved and having protuberant bars in the grooves.

5. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, said top being hinged to said bottom,a pair of supports on said housing, said supports being collapsible andbeing hinged to said ends, a transverse member in said housing, means onsaid transverse member to hold said supports closed, said housing havingcompartments therein, receptacles in said compartments, a plurality ofbrackets on the ends of said housing, said brackets being adapted tosupport one of said receptacles, said ends being slotted, a pair ofposts in said slots, said posts having opposed grooves, a staff memberhaving its ends in said grooves, said staff member including a pluralityof protuberant bars, grooved block members fitted on said bars, saidblock members being of a width to fit between said bars, a plurality ofsupplemental staffs secured above and below said first mentioned stafi,said supplemental staffs being grooved and having protuberant bars inthe grooves.

6. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, said top being hinged to said bottom,a pair of supports on said housing, said supports being collapsible andbeing hinged to said ends, said housing having a compartment in thefront thereof, receptacles in said compartment, said housing having asecond compartment positioned in the rear of said first compartment, aplurality of brackets on the ends of said housing, said brackets beingadapted to support one of said receptacles, said ends being slotted, apair of posts in said slots, said posts having opposed grooves, a stafimember having its ends in said grooves, said staff member including aplurality of protuberant bars and grooved block members fitted on saidbars.

7. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, said top being hinged to said bottom,a pair of supports on said housing, said supports being collapsible andbeing hinged to said ends, said housing having a rectangular compartmenttherein, a plurality of brackets on the ends of said housing, saidbrackets being adapted to support one of said receptacles, said endsbeing slotted, a pair of posts in said slots, said posts having opposedgrooves, a staff member having its ends in said grooves, said staffmember including a plurality of protuberant bars and grooved blockmembers fitted on said bars.

8. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, said top being hinged to said bottom,a pair of supports on said housing, said supports being collapsible andbeing hinged to said ends, a transverse member in said housing, means onsaid transverse member to hold said supports closed, said housing havinga rectangular compartment in the front thereof, receptacles in saidcompartment, said housing having a second rectangular compartmentpositioned in the rear of said first compartment, a plurality ofbrackets on the ends of said housing, said brackets being adapted tosupport one of said receptacles, a key ring on said brackets, said endsbeing slotted, a pair of posts in said slots, said posts having opposedgrooves, a staif member having its ends in said grooves, said staffmember including a plurality of protuberant bars and grooved blockmembers fitted on said bars.

9. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, said top being hinged to said bottom,a pair of supports on said housing, said supports being collapsible andbeing hinged to said ends, said bottom being spaced from the edge ofsaid ends a distance equal to the thickness of said supports, atransverse member in said housing, means on said transverse member tohold said supports closed, a handle on said housing, said housing havinga rectangular compartment in the front portion thereof, receptacles insaid compartment, said housing having a second rectangular compartmentpositioned in the rear of said first compartment, a plurality ofbrackets on the ends of said housing, said brackets being adapted tosupport one of said receptacles, said ends being slotted, a pair ofposts in said slots, said posts having opposed grooves, a staff memberhaving its ends in said grooves, said staff member including a pluralityof protuberant bars, grooved block members fitted on said bars, aplurality of supplemental stafis secured above said first mentionedstaff, said supplemental staffs being grooved and having removableprotuberant bars in the grooves.

10. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, said top being hinged to said bottom,a pair of supports on said housing, said supports being collapsible andbeing hinged to said ends, said bottom being spaced from the edge ofsaid ends a distance equal to the thickness of said supports, atransverse member in said housing, means on said transverse member tohold said supports closed, a handle on said housing, said ends beingslotted, a pair of posts in said slots, said posts having opposedgrooves, a staff member having its ends in said grooves, said staffmember including a plurality of protuberant bars, grooved block membersfitted on said bars and a plurality of supplemental staffs secured aboveand below said first mentioned staff, said supplemental staffs beinggrooved and having removable protuberant bars in the grooves.

11. In a piano teaching apparatus, a housing, said housing includingends, sides, a bottom, and a top, said top being hinged to said bottom,a pair of supports on said housing, said supports being collapsible andbeing hinged to said ends, said bottom being spaced from the edge ofsaid ends a distance equal to the thickness of said supports, atransverse member in said housing, means on said transverse member tohold said supports closed, a handle on said housing, said housing havinga rectangular compartment in the front portion thereof, receptacles insaid compartment, said housing having a second rectangular compartmentpositioned in the rear of said first compartment, a plurality ofbrackets on the ends of said housing, said brackets being adapted tosupport one of said receptacles, said ends being slotted, a pair ofposts in said slots, said posts having opposed grooves, a staff memberhaving its ends in said grooves, said staff member including a pluralityof protuberant bars, grooved block members fitted on said bars and aplurality of supplemental staffs secured above said first mentionedstaff, said supplemental staffs being grooved and having removableprotuberant bars in the grooves.

MARJORIE VINCENT ROSS.

